The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-17

"0h, Hepsy won't expect you home
from town yet. You'd better stay"
"Hepsy amt there no more. She
went home two weeks yesterday. She
amt going to work out no more, she
says. I've been keeping old batch
since she left, and don't find house
keeping very easy work." he remark
ed, taking off his shabby overcoat,
and placing it on the back OF chair,
then seating himself again.
Deacon Appleyard watched Miss
Marcia with admiration as she dished
the savory pot pie, mashed turnips
and potatoes, and drew from tha
oven, crisp brown and spicily fragrant,
his favorite delicacy, plummy mince
pie.
How comfortable, clean and invit-
ing was this snug, coy kitchen; how
tempting was the dinner table. How
very dilIernt it all seemed from the
ioIorn disorder of his own home.
How he did wish he dared-but at
this point in his reflection he was
startled from his meditation by Miss
Marcia telling him dinner was ready.
Never had the deacon more thorough
~ enjoyed dinner; the delicate chick
en- pie, fragrant coffee, the delightfully."-
clean Kitchen, all made q return to
his own home seem more desolate.
After chatting u short time after
dinner, he took his leave, carrying
with him Il pleasant picture OF the
CHEEKY room, and above all, OF trim
Miss Marcia with her neat, brown
calico, snowy collar, and glossy braids
of dark brown hair.
Hohas been widower for nearly
three years, and in that time had Of
ten thought OF Miss Marcia's bright
home, and cheerful manner, and wish
ed he dared ask her to share and
brighten his lot; but Deacon Apple
yard was one OF the most. Dashiul OF
men.
Report said, know not how truly,
that he had never mustered courage
to refuse his first wife, who had her
self, after q vigorous courtship on her
own part, proposed marriage.
But after ruling him with q rod OF
iron for twenty years, she suddenly
left this world, and her husband was
still wearing rusty weed, and patient
lv bearing the loss OF his housekeeper
and companion.
That afternoon Miss Marcia sat
mending, and musing over life and her
visitor.
"He's good man, but how he is
changed from what he used to be.
Well, that's the way it is with me |
suppose. Time changes us all. How
much he used to come TO our house,
the fall Jonas got married. Fred APP
pleyard, Jonas Lizzie and | went TO
singing school regular that winter, and
what n GOOD time we did have, |
thought then" but blushing wildly
at the vision, her words brought to
mind, Miss Hillman reused herself
from her backward reflections, with
the remark:
IL do declare, Marcia Hillman,
you're growing more foolish every day
of your lie. What's the use OF think
ing OF what might have BEEN"
Deep down in her heart, s he cherish.
ed a secret unsupported by friends and
neighbors, especially by Fred Apple
yard, or Deacon Appley a she was
generally called.
Marcia Hilman had loved him all
her life. In her girlhood there had
been a brief period when she believed
that Fred Appleyard loved her also,
but his marriage to Ellen Smith had
rudely dispelled her love dream. She
was mistaken in taking for love only
friendship. OF course Fred had never
loved her was her thought.
But in regard to this matter, Marcia
HiIlman was greatly mistak en-. In
his youth he had been deeply in love
with her, but timidity had prevented
him from making advances and per
sistent Ellen Smith had captured him
while his heart was still Marcia Hill
mans.
Two weeks passed, and notwith-
standing the pleasure OF the day he
had taken dinner with her, still Dea-
con Appleyard had not since visited
Miss Marcia.
There was first one interruption
and then another. After reaching
home that day, he resolved to call
upon her the next Sabbath, but when
the time came, his courage forsook
him.
He plainly could not go upon an
errand on the Sabbath. He would
wait until a week day furnished a
convenient excuse for calling.
The fourteenth OF February dawned
bright and beautiful. MISS Marcia
was early astir and was eating break
fast, when little Tony Thompson en-
tered, after timid hesitating knock,
and handed her letter.
Miss Marcia took the envelope,
while the urchin volunteered an expla-
nation.
"Pa sent me over with this letter.